It will appear at a glance that such a heterogeneous assemblage of tribes, representing as they do several distinct stocks, can not have been classed together on purely linguistic evidence. In point of fact, Scouler’s remarkable classification seems to rest only in a very slight degree upon a linguistic basis, if indeed it can be said to have a linguistic basis at all. Consideration of “physical character, manners, and customs” were clearly accorded such weight by this author as to practically remove his Northern or Haidah family from the list of linguistic stocks.
The next family name which was applied in this connection is the Skittagets of Gallatin as above cited. This name is given to designate a family on page _c_, volume II, of Transactions of the Ethnological Society, 1848. In his subsequent list of vocabularies, page 77, he changes his designation to Queen Charlotte Island, placing under this family name the Skittagete tribe. His presentation of the former name of Skittagets in his complete list of families is, however, sufficiently formal to render it valid as a family designation, and it is, therefore, retained for the tribes of the Queen Charlotte Archipelago which have usually been called Haida.
From a comparison of the vocabularies of the Haida language with others of the neighboring Koluschan family, Dr. Franz Boas is inclined to consider that the two are genetically related. The two languages possess a considerable number of words in common, but a more thorough investigation is requisite for the settlement of the question than has yet been given. Pending this the two families are here treated separately.
The tribes of this family occupy Queen Charlotte Islands, Forrester Island to the north of the latter, and the southeastern part of Prince of Wales Island, the latter part having been ascertained by the agents of the Tenth Census.[96]
[Footnote 96: See Petroff map of Alaska, 1880-’81.]
The following is a list of the principal villages:
Haida: Kaigani: Aseguang. Chatcheeni. Cumshawa. Clickass. Kayung. Howakan. Kung. Quiahanless. Kunχit. Shakan. Massett. New Gold Harbor. Skedan. Skiteiget. Tanu. Tartanee. Uttewas.
_Population._--The population of the Haida is 2,500, none of whom are at present under an agent.